A cutter device with illuminated cutting blade

ABSTRACT

A cutter device for sheet material has a manually guidable cylindrical housing formed with a column at the base of which is supporting wheel means and a fixed blade. A reciprocating or rotary blade cooperates with the fixed blade to cut sheet material. First gear means operatively interconnect the wheel means and movable blade. A generator in the housing operatively connected mechanically to the first gear means is electrically connected to lamp means to illuminate the blades while the wheel means turns and the movable blade is moved. A motor can be provided in the housing to drive the generator, gear means, movable blade and wheel means. The wheel means may include one or two wheels.

United States Patent 1 Roth 1 Jan. 16, 1973 54 A CUTTER DEVICE WITH2,080,328 5/1937 Meyer .30 273 ux UMIN T UT BLADE 402,652 5/l889Boetlner et al ..30 247 [76] Inventor: s is 1 Penn Street PrimaryExaminer-Theron E. Condon roo yn, Anomey-Polachek, Saulsbury & Hough[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1971 7 TRA T [21] Appl. No.: 114,988 [5 1 ABS C Acutter device for sheet material has a manually guidable cylindricalhousing formed with a column at UISO a s I s I I a fixed blade. Areciprocating or rotary blade [5|] Int. Cl ..B26b /00, B26b [00cooperates with the fixed blade to cut sheet material. [58] F eld ofSearch ,,30/203, 220, 22 264 First gear means operatively interconnectthe wheel 30/205 272-276; 74/44; means and movable blade. A generator inthe housing 172/101 105 operatively connected mechanically to the firstgear means is electrically connected to lamp means to illuminate theblades while the wheel means turns and the [56] References C'ted movableblade is moved. A motor can be provided in UNITED STATES PATENTS thehousing to drive the generator, gear means, movable blade and wheelmeans. The wheel means may in- 2,200,746 5/1940 Hoskwith ..30/275 eludeone or two wheels, 1,649,957 l1/l927 Holtzman ..30/247 X 2,052,6309/1936 Hoskwith ..30/275 X 9 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures I04 I02 I00 99749836 72 so PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET 1 0F 4 I04 I02 I00 99 74 9836 726O 35 7O FIG.4.

INVENTOR.

HERMAN ROTH FIG.

27? ATTURNEYS PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 3.710.445

SHEET 2 UF 4 I25 I28 I26 28 FIGJI.

INVENTOR.

HERMAN ROTH 4 TTURNE Y5 PATENTEUJAH 16 I975 SHEET 3 BF 4 FIG. l4.

FIG. l6.

INVENTOR.

FIG.I5.

HERMAN ROTH A TTURNEYE PATENTEDJAHIB ms 3.710.445

sum u BF 4 INVENTOR.

HERMAN ROTH A T TURNE Y5 CUTTER DEVICE WITH ILLUMINATED CUTTING BLADEThis invention concerns a manually guided cutter device for sheetmaterial adapted to roll along a surface and move a cutting blade.

Cutter devices of the type mentioned have been known heretofore, butthese generally have employed an electric motor to drive the cuttingblade. Also they have generally lacked illuminating means for thecutting blade.

The present invention involves a cutter device of greater versatilitythan prior cutter devices of the hand guided rolling type. In thepresent invention manually applied power rolls the device along acutting surface and effects moving of a cutting blade to cut sheetmaterial on the cutting surface. The sheet material can be cloth,plastic, paper, cardboard, metal foil, etc. The cutting blade can bemechanically arranged to reciprocate or alternatively it can be a rotaryblade. An electrical generator in the device energizes an illuminatinglamp while the device rolls along the cutting surface and ismechanically coupled to a wheel or wheels supporting the device. Thus noexternal source of electric power is required. If desired, an electricmotor can also be provided in the device to drive the generator, movableblade and supporting wheel or wheels. A flywheel on the drive shaft ofthe generator stabilizes motion of the blade,- wheels and rotor of thegenerator. The provision of a generator for the illuminating lamprenders the lamp independent of any other source of electric power andmakes it possible to use a low voltage lamp of high intensity.

Other and further features, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken togetherwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first cutter device I embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front end elevational view of the cutter device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken online 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5, 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating the cam drive of the movablecutter blade employed in the cutter device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second cutter device embodying theinvention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a fixed blade employed in thesecond cutter device.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken on line l0-l0 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken online 1 III of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of parts of a slipclutch employed in the second cutter device.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a third cutter device.

FIG. I4 is an end elevational view of the third cutter device.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view partially insection of third cutter device taken on line 15l5 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line 16-16 ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a fourth cutter device.

FIG. 18 is an end elevational view of the fourth cutter device.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view taken online l9l9 of FIG. 18.

' FIG. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line20-20 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged side view of the cutter blades employed in thefourth cutter device.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a composite gear employed in the fourthcutter device.

Referring first to FIGS. l-4, there is shown a first cutter device 25comprising a generally cylindrical housing 26 formed by. two shells heldtogether by screws 28, 29. At the rear end of the housing is a smalldynamo or generator 30 held in place by screws 32. Inside the housingare transversely extending partitions 33, 34, and 36. The device rollsalong a flat surface S cutting sheet material (not shown) on thissurface. The housing is supported at its front end by a hollow column 38defined by opposing lateral walls 40, 42 depending from the housing.Wall is held in place by screws 43 while wall 42 is integral with thehousing.

A cross shaft 44 extends transversely of the column and supports twowheels 46 in axially aligned disposition on opposite sides of thecolumn. The housing is held in axially horizontal position by one handof an operator (not shown) grasping the rear end of the housing. Wheels46 have rubber tires 48 to insure traction when the wheels roll along asmooth surface. On shaft 44 is a worm wheel 50 which drives an axiallyvertical worm 52. Worm shaft 54 is rotatably joumaled in bearing 56 inthe column. At the upper end of shaft 54 is a horizontal bevel gear 58meshed with an axially horizontal smaller bevel gear 60 carried by ashort shaft 62 joumaled in partitions 34 and 35. Shaft 62 carried amassive flywheel 64 and two spur gears 66, 68 on opposite sides of theflywheel between partitions 34 and 35. Gear 66 is meshed with a smallpinion gear 70 at the rear end of a shaft 72 joumaled in partitions 35,36. Pinion gear 74 at the front end of shaft 72 is meshed with a crankgear 75 joumaled in partition 36. Crank 76 is engaged with the crankgear and its forwardly extending crank arm 77 engages eye 78 at theupper end of slide bar 79. This bar has a slot 80 through which extendguide pins 81 in column 28 to guide bar 79 to reciprocatelongitudinally. The lower end of bar 79 is formed with integral cutterblade 82. Blade 82 moves in a slot 83 in the front wall of column 28. Bythe arrangement described, the cutter blade 82 is caused to move up anddown with to intersect vertical fixed cutter blade 84 secured by screws85 in a slot at the bottom of column 28.

Spur gear 68 drives a smaller pinion gear 88 secured to the end of ashort shaft 90 joumaled in partitions 33, 34. Shaft 90 carries a largerspur gear 92 which is meshed with a smaller pinion gear 94 at the frontend of shaft 95 of the dynamo 30. When the dynamos rotor 96 is driven,electric voltage is generated and an electric current flows via wirecable 98 to a lamp socket 99 supporting lamp bulb 100 at the front endof the hous ing. The lamp bulb is disposed in a hood 102 formed at thefront end of the housing. The hood has an internal reflecting surface104 and is open at the bottom. The lamp bulb is lighted by electriccurrent provided by the dynamo when it is operating to illuminate thecloth or other sheet material being cut between blades 82; 84.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show the reciprocating motion of bar 79 and cutterblade 82 causediay cranking motion of crank 76 when crank gear 75rotates. As gear 75 is rotated counterclockwise by gear 74, crank 76swings from side to side while bar 59 and blade 82 reciprocate up anddown.

It will now be apparent that as the cutting device is rolled alongsurface S on which is sheet material to be cut engaged between blades82, 84, the reciprocating blade 82 will cut the material. At the sametime the rotor 96 of the dynamo will be driven to keep lamp 100illuminated. At all times while the cutting device is in operation androlling along a surface, rotation of wheels 46 effects the cuttingaction of the blades and illumination of the cutting line of thematerial. Flywheel 64 helps stabilize rotation of rotor 96 andreciprocation of blade 82.

The cutting device 25 is entirely manually operated. The manual powerapplied in moving the cutting device along surface S eflects bothmaterial cutting and illumination of the material being cut. FIGS. 8-12show another cutter device 25A which makes it possible to operate thedevice selectively by manually applied power or electric power suppliedfrom an external source. Parts corresponding to those of cutter device25 are identically numbered.

In device 25A a socket l 10 is provided at one side of the housing 26ato receive plug 1 12 connected to cable 114 which provides electricpower from any convenient source. An electric motor 116 inside housing264 at its rear end is driven by electric power applied via socket 110connected to motor 116. Motor 116 drives shaft 944 of dynamo 30a via aslip clutch assembly 125. This assembly as best shown in FIGS. 11 and 12includes a rear drive disk 126 attached to shaft 128 of the motor. Thisdisk has a stepped face which engages the stepped face of driven frontclutch disk 130. Disk 130 is carried by shaft 940 at the rear end ofrotor 96a of the dynamo. A coil spring 132 on shaft 94a urges thestepped faces into clutch contact with each other. In the event thatflywheel 64 shown in FIG. 3 should tend to overrun the motor 116, theclutch will slip as steps 130' slip past steps 126'. A material guideand presser foot 140 is provided at the lower edge of fixed blade 84aand is integral therewith; see FIGS. 8-10.

Cutter device 25A can be operated by manually applied power in the samemanner as described in connection with cutter device 25. When wheels 46roll along the surface on which is supported material being cut, thecutter blade 82 is reciprocated up and down. In addition, the lamp 100in hood 102 is lighted. lf electric power is provided from an externalsource via socket l 10, the motor 116 will drive the wheels 46 via thegear train shown in FIG. 3 and the device will move along the materialbeing cut. In addition, the dynamo 30a will provide electrical voltagefor illuminating the lamp. When the motor drives the cutter device, thehand of the operator grasping the housing 260 will guide movement of thedevice while the material is being cut.

Cutter device 25B shown in FIGS. 13-16 has only a single wheel 46'supporting the device at the bottom of column 38. Other partscorresponding to those of cutter devices 25 and 25A are identicallynumbered. The single wheel rotatably mounted between walls 40 and 42 atthe bottom of the column is carried by shaft 44 which also carries agear 150. This gear rotates with wheel 46' and drives a worm wheel 50'meshed with worm 52 at the bottom end of worm shaft 54. Other parts ofthe mechanical drive for vertically reciprocating bar 79 and blade 82are the same as described above in connection with device 25. Device 258provides an advantage of somewhat greater maneuverability since it onlyhas one wheel. However for heavier duty work a device with twosupporting wheels such as employed by devices 25 and 25A may bepreferred.

Cutter device 25C shown in FIGS. 17-21, has a circular rotary cutterblade 200 rotatably supported by a foot 202 at the bottom of hollow,vertical column 204. The foot has a horizontal flange 206 integral withthe column. The bottom portion of the foot is attached to flange 206. Ashaft 208 extends across the foot rotatably supporting blade 200. Shaft208 also carries a gear 210 meshed with end portions 212!) of acomposite gear 212 at the bottom of the column; see FIGS. 19, 20, 22.Gear 212 is mounted on a shaft 214, and is driven by gears 216 on shaft218. Shaft 218 also carries rollers or wheels 220. These wheels rotatewhen the device is rolled along surface S. Gears 216 rotate gears 212and this rotates gear 210 and rotary blade 200. The blade cooperateswith fixed blade 84 carried by foot 202 in cutting the material onsurface S.

Column 204 is integral with housing 225 which extends axially horizontaland is manually supported at its rear end when the device is inoperation. The center section 2120 of gear 212 drives worm 230 at thebase of axially vertical shaft 232 in column 204. At the upper end ofshaft 232 is a large bevel gear 234 meshed with a bevel gear 236 at thefront end of shaft 238. Shaft 238 is axially horizontal and carries amassive flywheel 240. Dynamo or generator 242 is coupled to shaft 238 bycoupling 244. Wire cable 246 leading from the generator extends througha passage 248 in the housing wall and terminates at socket 250 in hood252 at the front end of the housing. Lamp bulb in socket 250 isenergized when the generator 242 is running and illuminates the cuttingline of material at rotary blade 200. By the arrangement described, whenthe device 25C is moved along a sheet of material to be cut, rotarycutting blade 210 turns and lamp 100 is illuminated.

If desired, a single roller can be employed instead of two rollers 220.Also a motor 260 can be provided at the rear end of the casing. Themotor will be coupled to the generator by coupling 261. The motor can beenergized by connecting plug II2 at the end of power supply cable 114 tosocket 262 at the rear end of the housing. The motor is connected tosocket 262. The motor is held in the removable screw cap 264 at the rearend of housing 225 by .screws 266. When the motor is operating it willdrive the generator 242 to light lamp 100 and will also drive rotaryblade 200 and rollers 220 via the gear train described above.

In all forms of the invention described above, hand movement of thecutter device over a cutting surface reciprocates or turns the cuttingblade and energizes an illuminating lamp for the cutting line by meansofan internal generator. In addition, provision of an internal motoroptionally drives the generator to light the lamp and drives asupporting wheel or wheels via a gear train. The motor also drives arotary or reciprocating cutting blade.

While a limited number of embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent that many variations andmodifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cutter device for sheet material, comprising a generallycylindrical axially horizontal housing which can be grasped manually atits rear end; a vertical column at the front end of the housingextending radially therefrom; wheel means rotatably supported at thebottom free end of the column for supporting the housing while saidwheel means rolls over a surface; a fixed blade carried by said columnat its bottom free end; a movable blade carried by the column; gearmeans operatively interconnecting said wheel and movable blade formoving the same to cut material on said surface when said wheel meansrolls over said surface; an electrical generator in said housing; othergear means operatively interconnecting the first named gear means fordriving said generator; and lamp means at the front end of the housingdisposed to illuminate the cutting blade and material cut thereby; andelectrical conductor means connecting said generator to said lamp meansto energize the same while said wheel means rolls over said surface.

2. A cutter device as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable blade iscarried by a bar slidably mounted in said column and arranged toreciprocate so that the movable blade reciprocates with respect to thefixed blade.

3. A cutter device as defined in claim 1, further comprising an electricmotor in the housing coupled to the generator to drive the same whenelectric power is supplied to the motor for energizing said lamp meansand for turning said wheel means and moving the movable blade via thefirst named and other gear means.

4. A cutter device as defined in claim 3, wherein said movable blade iscarried by a bar slidably mounted in said column and arranged toreciprocate so that the movable blade reciprocates with respect to thefixed blade.

5. A cutter device as defined in claim 3, wherein said movable blade isa circular rotatable blade.

6. A cutter device as defined in claim 3, further comprising a materialguide member integral with the fixed blade and extending laterallythereof.

7. A cutter device as defined in claim 4, further comprising crank meansoperatively interconnecting said bar and first named gear means to causesaid bar and movable blade to reciprocate.

8. A cutter device as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheel meanscomprises two wheels at opposite sides of said column.

9. A cutter device as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheel meanscomprises a single wheel.

1. A cutter device for sheet material, comprising a generallycylindrical axially horizontal housing which can be grasped manually atits rear end; a vertical column at the front end of the housingextending radially therefrom; wheel means rotatably supported at thebottom free end of the column for supporting the housing while saidwheel means rolls over a surface; a fixed blade carried by said columnat its bottom free end; a movable blade carried by the column; gearmeans operatively interconnecting said wheel and movable blade formoving the same to cut material on said surface when said wheel meansrolls over said surface; an electrical generator in said housing; othergear means operatively interconnecting the first named gear means fordriving said generator; and lamp means at the front end of the hOusingdisposed to illuminate the cutting blade and material cut thereby; andelectrical conductor means connecting said generator to said lamp meansto energize the same while said wheel means rolls over said surface. 2.A cutter device as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable blade iscarried by a bar slidably mounted in said column and arranged toreciprocate so that the movable blade reciprocates with respect to thefixed blade.
 3. A cutter device as defined in claim 1, furthercomprising an electric motor in the housing coupled to the generator todrive the same when electric power is supplied to the motor forenergizing said lamp means and for turning said wheel means and movingthe movable blade via the first named and other gear means.
 4. A cutterdevice as defined in claim 3, wherein said movable blade is carried by abar slidably mounted in said column and arranged to reciprocate so thatthe movable blade reciprocates with respect to the fixed blade.
 5. Acutter device as defined in claim 3, wherein said movable blade is acircular rotatable blade.
 6. A cutter device as defined in claim 3,further comprising a material guide member integral with the fixed bladeand extending laterally thereof.
 7. A cutter device as defined in claim4, further comprising crank means operatively interconnecting said barand first named gear means to cause said bar and movable blade toreciprocate.
 8. A cutter device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidwheel means comprises two wheels at opposite sides of said column.
 9. Acutter device as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheel means comprisesa single wheel.